IMAGES | Businesses along Ohio River prepare for potential flooding this week

LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) -- It’s déjà vu all over again for employees at Captain’s Quarters along River Road, with a heaping pile of sand now one of the proactive ways of trying to keep the restaurant dry.

“We’d rather be ahead than behind,” said restaurant co-owner Andrew Masterson. “We know it’s going to happen with our location on the river. We can’t control it but we know it’s going to happen."

Saturday, more than 1,000 bags were filled and propped up against the glass doors with the help of forklifts. The bags will not only try to keep the water out but will protect the glass from being smashed by logs in the fast-moving current.

As the work continued outside, inside it was clear what workers are trying to avoid. “This was the water line from last year,” Masterson said, pointing to a line market nine-feet high on the wall. “The entire place was under nine-feet of water.”

IMAGES | Businesses along Ohio River prepare for potential flooding next week

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In the parking lot refrigerated trailers will keep the food cold when the kitchen shuts down next week.

It’s a similar situation next door for neighbors who are packing up to avoid losing everything again.

“(We’re) taking all our wood that we have under our trailer and taking out our camper and getting ready for the flood so it don’t swamp us out,” Nicholas Braun said. His dad, Scott, lost his house when it floated away in the flood of 1997.

Braun and his dad know they can only prepare so much. “The aftermath is the worst because you have to clean up all the mud and everything,” he said.

Tuesday, the river is expected to crest at near 28-feet – something those living and working there are not unfamiliar with, but they can only do so much.

“It’s just part of it. We roll with the punches,” Masterson said.

Other restaurants along the river - including Cunningham’s - that sit a little higher up, will make a decision about closing sometime on Monday.